How to Knit 1×1 Rib

Rib is typically used at the bottom edge of sweaters and cuffs of sleeves. Rib creates neat stretchy and flat fabric made up of distinctive columns of knit and purl stitches.

Single rib is created by alternating one knit stitch, and then purling one stitch. On the following row, you repeat the same pattern, knitting or purling to follow the pattern of the previous row.

So for example, if the previous stitch is a knit stitch, you knit it, and if it was a purl stitch, you purl it.

Like this:

Cast on an even number of stitches.

Row 1) Knit, purl, knit, purl, knit purl….to the end of the row.

Row 2) Knit, purl, knit, purl, knit purl….to the end of the row

Before you get started, a word of warning:

You must remember to move the working yarn from the back of the work to the front to work a purl stitch, and then back again to knit. If you don’t move the yarn back and forth, you’ll end up with loops of yarn lying across the needles.

This will lead to holes and extra stitches that you don’t want! .

How to Knit 1×1 Rib

Step 1: Cast on an even number of stitches.

Step 2: With the yarn in back, knit one stitch.

Step 3: Bring the yarn forward to the front of the work between the tips of the needles, and purl one stitch.

Step 4: Take the yarn back between the needles to the back of the fabric to knit the next stitch.

Step 5: Keep alternating knit and purl stitches to the end of the row.

Step 6: On the next row, start again from step 2…

I forgot what stitch to do next. Is it knit or purl?

It’s easy to get lost when knitting a rib pattern. You may not know which stitch to work next – knit or purl?

This is where looking at your knitting and understanding what you’re looking at can help! Reading your knitting! If you look closely at the stitches you have already knit onto your right needle, you’ll notice that the knit stitches look like little Vs and the purl stitches have a little bump, (imagine them wearing a little scarf!)

So, if the last stitch you knit is wearing a scarf, then you know it is a purl stitch. The next stitch to knit is a knit stitch. If the last stitch you knit looks like a V, then it is a knit stitch, and the next stitch to make is a purl stitch.

Once you have knit several rows, the pattern becomes more obvious and it will be easier to tell which stitch should come next.